We've Moved!

Wednesday, September 2, 2009

Daniel and I will be at Rookie Camp on Saturday, and we promise to have something valuable and hockey relevant posted this weekend. But here's something whimsical:

Last week, the OC Register announced Anaheim's official Power Players squad for the 2009-10 season. The organization selected this year's class from an auditioning group of 95, and six veterans return to the 14 member team.

Daniel, using the meager information available to us and whatever methods you want, who is the best Power Player and why?DANIEL:I find this to be a difficult question, mainly because I have no criteria with which to evaluate the Power Players. Let me say that I think Katie is the most attractive, Alexandria has the most interesting career aspirations (museum curator), and Megan went to my alma mater Cal State Long Beach, which in my opinion is major points. Although, I think my final criteria is which girl I think a dude could approach in a bar and not feel overly intimidated.

With that in mind, I choose Christine, number 4 on the Orange County Register's slide show. I like Christine because her photo in the Register is entirely awkward, but she's mysteriously attractive in the photo on the team website. This leads me to believe that she doesn't have the type of looks that'll freeze you in your tracks, but the ones that a man can appreciate for their own unique qualities, like a favorite painting in a museum. Not only that, she's 21 with a degree in humanities, plans for an MBA (although I kind of detest business majors), and she digs community outreach. I like her ambition, and she seems to have a sensible way about her. I don't know; my whole vibe about this girl is that she's down to earth and I appreciate that.

On the realest level, Christine is the one who stood out the most when I looked at the photo from the team website. It was only through a process of elimination that I was able to match that photo with her photo in the Register. So I guess I picked her because, of all the girls I saw, she just appealed to me the most.

ARTHUR:First, I just want to ask, what's with the creepy pinhole pictures on the Register? I was drinking an iced tea when I read the story, and I had to put it down for fear that Chris Hansen was going to walk into my kitchen.

I guess I see what you're saying about Christine; she's not actually smiling in either picture, which gives you a Mona Lisa mysterious feeling? I don't know. I prefer to leave that mystery unsolved.

To me, Katie did appear to be the most attractive. She struck a solid pose in profile, even though she was being photographed by a pinhole camera in what looks like a wood-paneled bungalow where they probably asked her to put the lotion in the basket on her way out. Now, that's focus. From the team pic (center, back row, pink blouse), you can tell she believes her left is her best side, as she parts her hair over her right eye. So it looks like she consciously strikes that profile pose when possible. Of course, at 19, this could all be evidence of a girl uncomfortably close to her high school cheerleading career, though I definitely gave her points for her hockey story: she went to a Ducks game and started taking skating lessons after school.

But while Katie struck me as the most natural cheerleader type, photogenic on command (even for a pinhole camera in the Ducks' dimly lit version of Uncle Touchy's Naked Puzzle Basement) I'm going with Liszt, as an attractive non-cheerleader type.

First, you have to give her points on the name. To counter your museum painting, you can't even say this girl's name without thinking of Liebesträume. Second, in her picture in the Register, she tilts her head down and throws a smoky glance upward, looking you dead in the eye. It's almost as if she knew it was a creepy pinhole shot and adapted to the mood of the lens accordingly. Third, she's 21, packing a bachelor's degree from UCI, which gives you favorable odds of having an adult conversation with her. And fourth, her sister used to play hockey, so she's watched her share of games and maybe even picked up a thing or two.

I realize this job is a lot of posing, jumping around and dancing (if you can't skate), but I'm going to go with Liszt as immediately appealing in still photography.

This was Anaheim calling to the hockey world. Enjoy your Rookie Camp, boys and girls.

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